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Q1:What do you consider to be your most memorable moment in the sport of Taekwondo?

ADRIENNE IVEY: Though I have had many great experiences with Taekwondo, I would have to say my most memorable moment would be when I won my first Junior Olympics as a red belt. Winning that Junior Olympics made me want to push harder to become better at Taekwondo, and it helped me to realize that if I worked hard and put in my best effort I could become something in the sport. That win is what motivated me to train until I was sore and sweat-soaked. I will always think of that moment as what made me into the athlete I am today.

Q2: Do you do any coaching of younger athletes and is that something you see yourself doing in the future?

ADRIENNE IVEY: Right now, I don't coach any younger athletes in Taekwondo, but that is definitely something I would like to pursue in the future. We have a pretty large sparring team at my dojang, and being one of the oldest, I would like to start coaching at local tournaments. Also, I plan to remain involved in the sport of Taekwondo throughout my life, and hopefully I will be able to produce high-caliber athletes like ones on the recent Junior World Team.

Adrienne with Coach Dennis Kim

Q3: What course of study would you like to pursue in college?

ADRIENNE IVEY: Because I have an interest in the sciences, mainly the life sciences, I would like to study in the field of biological sciences. Specifically, my interests lie in molecular biology and genetics. I hope to study gene structures and hereditary diseases such as sickle cell or cancer.

Q4: You recently competed on the world stage at the World Junior Championships in Turkey. What did you learn from that experience which will help you at future international events?

ADRIENNE IVEY: Competing at the World Junior Championships in Turkey gave me an irreplaceable experience and I have learned and prospered from it. The most important thing I've learned from competing in Turkey is not to be afraid of other competitors and not to let them intimidate you, no matter how they look or act. Everyone gets scared, but you shouldn't let it get to your head and control you or alter your fighting. They're just as nervous as you. You should also always listen to your coaches. They are trying to help you win and can see things happening that you can't see. I also learned that, in my case, physical training was just a small part of the competition. You have to be just as mentally prepared in order to spar your best, and having a strong mentality is a key component in being a good athlete. No matter what the result is, you should always give it your best no matter what, in any situation.

Adrienne with fellow World Team Members and coach Sherman Nelson

Q5: So is this a breakout year for you? Did you feel this was going to happen?

ADRIENNE IVEY: Yes, I believe this is a breakout year for me. I felt something big was going to happen in 2008 based on my steady progression throughout 2006 and 2007. I've been training harder in preparation for Juniors, and I believe the extra practice helped me to make it onto the World Junior Team. After competing and doing well in Juniors and Seniors during the beginning of the year, I felt that I was ready for the fight-off to determine the team.

Adrienne (right) and teammate Laurissa Tanielu with some Turkish children

Q6: What's the last book you read?

ADRIENNE IVEY: The last book, and probably one of the best books I've read, is called Elsewhere, by Gabrielle Zevin. When I am not sparring or playing soccer I can usually be found with a book in my hand. While I generally love fantasy novels, I occasionally venture out to murder mysteries or any type of fiction that catches my interest.

Q7: Can you describe the feeling you had after making the World Junior Team?

ADRIENNE IVEY: I was completely and totally overcome with joy after making the World Junior Team. It was my finest moment in this sport. This was the culmination of many training sessions, mental preparation and intense sparring sessions with my Master and Coach, Dennis Kim, and SET (Sparring Elite Team). I was so ecstatic that I would be traveling to, and competing in Turkey. All the hard work training and preparing had paid off. The feeling I had after winning my final match was of pure happiness and excitement. I also may have been sighted doing cartwheels in the holding area.

Adrienne goofing around

Q8: What's your favorite TV show ever?

ADRIENNE IVEY: There are a lot of shows that I would claim to love, but I have to say my favorite TV show ever would be Monk. Adrian Monk (played by Tony Shalhoub) is a former detective suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder and many phobias, since the murder of his wife Trudy. These disorders caused him to be placed on psychiatric leave from the San Francisco Police Department and he spends his time as a freelance detective/consultant solving murders to pay the bills. He hopes to convince his captain to put him back on the force, but the captain is questioning whether Monk should be handed a gun. Monk has a full time nurse to take care of him, and is working on his dilemmas in order to be placed on the force again. I would definitely give Monk 5 stars. It is an amazingly well-written and well-acted show.

Q9: Do you have talents in other sports?

ADRIENNE IVEY: I also compete in indoor and outdoor soccer. I play on a Division 1 travel team, and one could say I am pretty talented. I mostly play the sweeper position, but sometimes go up as a center forward. I also hope to try out and play on my high school team this upcoming school year. Soccer helps with my endurance and keeps me in shape for Taekwondo as well.

Q10: What was your favorite toy growing up?

ADRIENNE IVEY: My favorite toy when I was growing up would have to have been my stuffed purple bear and my Beanie Baby cat. I got my stuffed purple bear, otherwise known as "Purply", when I had my tonsils taken out in first grade. My cat and bear were by my side every night in bed, until my cat had a tragic accident, in which gum consumed his body and he went to stuffed cat heaven. After that, only Purply slept by my side.